Carrasco made her grand prix debut in 2013 with the Calvo KTM squad and became the first female rider to score points in the class when she was 15th in the Malaysian Grand Prix.
She remained in Moto3 through to the end of 2015, but struggled for form before switching to the CEV Moto2 championship.
In 2017 she joined the new World Supersport 300 Championship that formed part of the World Superbike support bill and made history when she won the Portugal round – becoming the first woman to win an FIM-sanctioned world championship circuit race.
Winning two more races in 2018, Carrasco won the Supersport 300 crown to make more history, and was third in the 2019 rankings having won two more times.
Being brought under the wing of Kawasaki’s official WSBK squad Provec following her title success, Carrasco continued to have winning form in 2020 – though her season was cut short due to a serious back injury suffered in a crash at Estoril during a test.
She returned to action again in 2021 and heroically won at Misano last July.
On Monday Kawasaki and Carrasco confirmed here return to Moto3, where she is expected to ride for the BOE squad in 2022 – which is due to be announced later today.
“Racing is tough, not just on track where people see but also at times like this when you have to make tough decisions,” 24-year-old Carrasco said.
“My ambition is always to grow as a rider, to set myself new goals that others see as impossible and to achieve them.
“When my parents bought me my first minibike and then I started racing of course my dream was like any rider: 'one day I want to be a world champion'.
“This I achieved in 2018 and even today that feeling is magical; but anyone that understands racing will know that every racer needs to push, to be ambitious and to test themselves again and again.
“This opportunity to ride in Moto3 is a logical step in my mind even if the emotional step is hard.
“I would like to thank everyone at Kawasaki who truly made me feel part of a racing family, of course to my pit crews and team staff across these years who gave me the best machinery to compete on plus Provec who created a professional environment that was just incredible.
“Finally, I must say a special thanks to Eliseo Escamez, Alvar Garriga, the Roda brothers and all Provec team members, who were always there for me with friendly help and advice and truly believed in me and, of course, my parents who started this amazing journey.
“I thank all of you and hope you understand you all played a part in making me the rider and person I am.
“I hope I can repay your kindness with a second world championship. Thank you.”
Despite the Moto3 move, Carrasco took part in the official WSBK test at Jerez last week aboard a Supersport 600cc Kawasaki.
Carrasco also tested six-time world champion Jonathan Rea’s Kawasaki Superbike at Jerez back in 2019.
